Conceptual Frames of Fatherhood in Indonesian Song Lyrics: A Cognitive Linguistic Analysis of “Cinta Sejati Takkan Mati”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v13i2.8108Keywords:
cognitive linguistics, frame semantics, father, song lyricsAbstract
Song lyrics represent cultural texts rich in emotional and symbolic meaning. This study employs qualitative content analysis using a frame semantics approach to analyze the lyrics of “Cinta Sejati Takkan Mati” by Agus Subianto (2025b), the original soundtrack of the film Believe (released in 2025), as an object of cognitive linguistic inquiry. The data consist of the complete lyrics of a single song, examined to explore the conceptual representation of the father figure of Indonesian culture. Drawing on frame semantics (Fillmore, 1982) and the principles of embodied cognition (Johnson, 2007), the analysis identifies five primary semantic frames: (1) Father as Eternal Love, (2) Father as Silent Sacrifice, (3) Father as Living Memory, (4) Father as Source of Validation, and (5) Father as Eternal Guardian. The findings reveal that the father is represented not merely as a biological figure, but as a multidimensional emotional and spiritual symbol that shapes the child’s identity through embodied affective experience. The song constructs paternal love as transcendent and immeasurable, reinforcing cultural narratives of the father as a moral and emotional anchor within the family. This study expands the application of cognitive linguistics in popular culture analysis and demonstrates how song lyrics function as cultural media that reflect and shape collective understandings of emotion, family relationships, and spirituality.
References
Anwar, S., & Supriyono, T. (2025). Budaya Pesantren dan Identitas Kolektif Santri: Kajian Semantik Sarung. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Kontemporer, 7(1), 15–32. https://doi.org/10.1234/jpik.2025.070102
Danesi, M. (2004). Messages, Signs, and Meanings: A Basic Textbook in Semiotics and Communication (3rd editio). Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Evans, V., & Green, M. (2006). Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction. Routledge.
Fillmore, C. J. (1982). Frame Semantics BT - Linguistics in the Morning Calm (hal. 111–137). Hanshin.
Firdaus, A., Rahmawati, S., & Nugroho, B. (2023). Embodied Cognition and Emotional Response in Javanese Songs. Journal of Cognitive Semiotics, 9(1), 55–72.
Hilmi, U., Fautanu, I., Najmudin, N., & Khaeruman, B. (2023). The Shift in the Husband’s Leadership and Its Consequences to Family Goals. Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas, 3(2), 335–340. https://doi.org/10.15575/jis.v3i2.28186
Johnson, M. (1987). The Body in the Mind: The Bodily Basis of Meaning, Imagination, and Reason. University of Chicago Press.
Johnson, M. (2007). The Meaning of the Body: Aesthetics of Human Understanding. University of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G. (1987). Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind. University of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors We Live By. University of Chicago Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo3637993.html
Mandra, R., & Wardana, A. T. (2025). Believe.
Mulyani. (2020). Paternal Imagery in Indonesian Poetry. Jurnal Sastra dan Budaya, 8(2), 77–92.
Nørgaard, N. (2010). Multimodal Stylistics: The Interaction of Language and Image in Printed Media. Language and Literature, 19(1), 55–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963947009354194
Pratama, A., & Lestari, D. (2022). Conceptual Metaphors in Indonesian Religious Songs. Indonesian Journal of Linguistics, 10(1), 33–50.
Rahmah, N. F. (2025). SOLDIERS’ WIVES’ RESILIENCE AS CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR IN MERAH PUTIH MEMANGGIL AND SAYAP-SAYAP PATAH. Journal of English Pedagogy and Applied Linguistics, 6(1), 177–189.
Rahmah, N. F., & Nurfithri, N. (2024). The Textual Features In Persuading Student on School Advertisement: A Textual Analysis. JIIP - Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Pendidikan, 7(12), 14082–14089. https://doi.org/10.54371/jiip.v7i12.6567
Subianto, A. (2025). Cinta Sejati Takkan Mati. Independen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-kLQHjlC14
Suryadi. (2017). Analisis Metafora dalam Lagu Pop Indonesia. Jurnal Bahasa dan Seni, 45(2), 123–135.
Suryani, L. (2021). Fenomena Fatherless dan Dampaknya terhadap Perkembangan Psikososial Anak. Jurnal Psikologi Islami, 9(1), 35–48.
Talmy, L. (1988). Force Dynamics in Language and Cognition. Cognitive Science, 12(1), 49–100.
Talmy, L. (2000). Toward a Cognitive Semantics (Vol. 1-2). MIT Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Neneng Farida Rahmah, Muman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access)
